


Paradise Found

by sabine_leo



Category: Actor RPF, British Actor RPF, Real Person Fiction, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom
Genre: Actor Tom Hiddleston, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Summer Romance, Summer Vacation, Tom Hiddleston Is A Sweetheart, hot summer nights
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-07-08 19:03:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19874548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sabine_leo/pseuds/sabine_leo
Summary: A much needed break from your hectic day to day life turns into a summer romance that leaves you breathless.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sommething sweet, fluffy and romantic to kick back and relax on a hot summer night !

They say, happiness comes in waves.

You took that quite literally and decided to leave everything that had weighed you down behind for a few weeks. Work, an ex-boyfriend that had cheated on you with his ex, the hectic life in general.

No, you were not sticking your head in the sand…just your toes! You needed to clear your head, breath the sea-air, feel the warm wind on your skin, the sand under your feet and let your mind relax in a hammock under the palm trees.

So, here you were. Standing at the shoreline, looking at the vast, blue green ocean that touched your feet with every new wave that tried to reach dry sand.

Closing your eyes with a smile, you took in the first rays of sunshine that the new dawn gifted you after your long journey. It had cost you quite a little fortune to get here, but it already had been worth it. The instance you dropped your bags, got rid of your shoes and ran down the few steps from your private cabin into the warm sand you felt a weight lift of your shoulders. An easing breath left your lungs. The next wave drenched your jeans. With a laugh you walked a few steps into the water and kicked the ensuing wave, splashing seawater onto yourself. Damn, that felt good.

Half soaked you walked out of the water a few minutes later and took in the view.

You had asked for a cabin on the far end of the little island. As private and small as this resort was, there wouldn´t have been any direct neighbours anyway, but you wanted the seclusion, the feeling of being alone. You could only make out one other path leading to a cabin before the natural shape of the island took a turn and secluded those two lodges. The very friendly driver, who had driven you and your luggage in a golf cart to your home for the next weeks, told you that there were only 3 other guests on the island. 2 of them pretty close to the central building that hosted a restaurant and a bar. You and one other person on the far end seeking seclusion and serenity.

Walking back to your cabin, you took it in for real now. The wooden home looked like out of an island dream. Dark wood, light, flowy- white curtains that swayed in the sea breathe through the wide-open double door windows. A solid roof but covered with palm-leaves gave it the typical beach flair. Inside, in an open space was a little kitchen, a lounge area and a table with 4 chairs. Secluded but with a phenomenal view of the beach was the bedroom with a double bed facing the ocean. Behind another door was a bathroom with a tub also facing the ocean. It really was heaven on earth.

After unpacking and changing out of your wet clothes you went outside again. In front of your cabin was a colourful hammock waiting for you. The palm trees offered a shadowy place to get a little nap in after traveling for a whole day and some hours to get to paradise. It did not take long for you to drift of. The soft sway, the warmth and the sea air adding to your tiredness, knocked you out quickly.

The first day was over pretty quickly. After sleeping peacefully in that hammock, getting some food into your hungry stomach and ordering the things you would need to cook for yourself the next days you saw that the sun was slowly setting again. Taking a stroll along the beach seemed like a good idea since you were well and rested now.

You did not bother to put on shoes, you just went directly to the shoreline in your short pants, the Bikini-top and the light blouse open on top to spare you the agony of a sunburn on the first day. The wet sand and the warm water felt so good on your feet that you walked for a good while before you sat down in the dry sand to watch the sunset. It really was a beautiful sight. The sky began to change from purest blue to the most extraordinary yellow, orange and red segue you had ever seen. Totally mesmerised you watched the sun kiss the ocean as someone walked into your view on the shoreline. He lifted a hand in greeting and stepped out of direct view again.

“Sorry, didn´t want to interrupt your sight!” He said with a deep and smooth voice and added before you could answer “Have a nice evening!” and continued on his way.

A bit louder you said to his tall, walking form.

“No worries, this won´t be my last sunset in paradise. You too!” He half turned with his next steps and you saw him nod and wave again. You lifted your hand too and smiled a little before turning your head back to the spectacle before you. When the last bit of the sun went into her ocean-bed you stood up and started to walk again, collecting driftwood on the way. On your way back to your cabin you had to walk past the one before yours. Since you were walking along the shoreline you would not disrupt the privacy of its occupant.

“Beautiful view…” That deep voice again. Your head snapped up. Leaning on a palm tree you could make out the shadow of the tall man. “Oh, sorry! Who´s interrupting the view now…” You chuckled and pointed to the shadow of the hammock before your cabin “…Just wanted to get back....”

The soft breeze carried an easy-going, deep chuckle to your ears.

“Now _that_ would ruin my beautiful view…”

It took you a moment before you got the gist of the words and laughed quietly. A smile lit up your face, but he would not be able to see it, would he?

“Well…” you started walking again “…then I am sorry to ruin it…” You put your windswept hair back behind your ear. “…maybe you do have more luck come tomorrow!”

Now a deep laugh resonated from his tall form. “I shall look for a shooting star and wish on it!”

That voice sounded very British and very ear pleasing. You grinned as you kept walking back to your cabin. “Good night!” He said louder and pushed himself off the tree with a foot.

“Good night!” You answered half turning but continuing your way. The shadow of the man told you he was tall and lean, his hand ruffled through his hair as he watched you for a second before you turned around.

The next day started late due to jet-lag but nobody was complaining that you were sleeping in, the bed next to you empty. For a second you thought about how nice it would be to enjoy the view from this bed with someone by your side. But then again, you never had a problem with being alone and you were certainly not missing your ex. That chapter of your life got closed some months ago. You stretched your limbs and got up. After donning a sporty bikini, you stepped out started to grin and walked onto the beach. The moment your feet hit the toasty warm sand you took off in a run with a laugh.

Some hundred meters away a head snapped up in another hammock and a laugh escaped in a deep male tone as he saw you running into the water, jumping over waves and somewhat elegantly but definitely joyfully taking a header into the ocean. _Yes_ , he thought, _unquestionably a beautiful view._ His breath caught as he saw you come out of the water some minutes later, disappearing into your own hammock. Now _he_ needed some cooling-down…

There was nothing better than salty water on your skin, drying off while swaying in a warm summer breeze. In a hammock. Under a palm tree. Watching the ocean. That was until you saw your “neighbour” walking towards the water. A low sitting navy blue shorts the only cover his undoubtedly hot body wore. Even from afar you could see the defined muscles on his back. Changing your position a little to unashamedly watch him getting nearer and nearer to the water you laughed as he too jolted into a run and elegantly took a header. You pushed your sunglasses up on your nose and let one foot dangle out of the hammock to give it another push as he emerged from the water again and walked to shore. His hand pushing back his wet hair.

“Oh, blimey this is just cruel!” You gasped out as you saw his wet torso in full display and instantly felt a pang of guilt for ogling him like that. “Talk about a beautiful view...” You murmured and laughingly shook your head, closed your eyes and dropped the straw-hat onto your face with a groan.

The soft sway of the hammock calmed you down again… as did the sound of the ocean.

You smiled softly and took a deep, deep breath.

“Hammock for two…how convenient…” You heard a deep voice say as your hat got lifted off your face and some drops of water hit your warm skin. Before you could say something, before you could even grasp what was happening a wet body balanced itself into the hammock. Blue eyes looked deep into yours and the weight of his lean body made you tilt sideways, flush against him. A smirk toyed with his lips as his tongue came out to wet them. “Hi, thought I´d come over to properly introduce myself…”

“Oh…” was all you got out before he grabbed your waist, tugged you on top of him and introduced his lips to yours in a hot, sizzling hot kiss. His big hands stroked simultaneously up and down your back. He grabbed the back of your head and your butt and squeezed while his tongue darted out to seek shelter with yours. “Hi!” He grinned near your lips afterwards and put a strand of hair behind your ear before he began a new kiss that let your skin tingle as if electricity pulsed through your veins.

A honk from an arriving golf cart yanked you up straight. Whirling your arms around like a damn bird wanting to take flight you _almost_ toppled out of the hammock.

“Your delivery Miss!”

Looking around a little dazed you just nodded and tried to get a grip on your surroundings again. You were still laying in the hammock in front of your cabin…but alone.

Dang! You must have been fallen asleep right after that handsome man walked out of the water, initiating a wet dream instantly.

Rolling your eyes at yourself you got out of the hammock as the delivery man came out of your cabin again and said his goodbyes. Going inside yourself to put everything away you grunted with a breathless laugh. “Honk if you´re horny!”


	2. Chapter 2

Feeling restless the whole afternoon past your little dream, you decided to walk it off in the evening! This time you walked into the other direction than yesterday. The shoreline making it easy to get some distance between you and that wet dream material of a man. Or maybe it was just your subconsciousness making up scenarios that could belong into a dirty novel due to your paradise-like surroundings. Nah, he really looked hot from what you could tell by ogling him from a “save” distance. “Save my ass…” you huffed. “I nearly fell out of that hammock!” Rolling your eyes at yourself, again, you came to a stop as you saw a field of rocks separating your part of the beach and the one across from it. Their surface looked as if smoothed by the ocean over decades. Climbing on the first stone you visualized a way to traverse them and slowly made your way to the other side. Jumping down into the warm sand, you grinned and took a glance of what was in front of you. In the distance you saw a solid steel framework looming out of the mud flat with two close-together swings attached to the top bar, facing the wide-open ocean. Your heart did a summersault inside your ribcage. Sitting on that swing, watching the sunset would be pure bliss, you thought.

Walking closer you could see the intricate details put into the steel and the shells and corals that clung to the lower part of the frame, coalescing it with the ocean. Touching the steel frame without disturbing the shells you smiled at the feel of it. You have always been a tactile (and auditory) person. You wanted to experience new things with all your senses but feeling and if possible, hearing them was nearly the utmost important to you. Maybe your childhood- and still one of your best friends was responsible for that. Hannah was nearly blind since birth and growing up with her had made you aware of a lot of things that were not cognisant for a lot of other people. Learning to recognise things by touch, experiencing the little details your eyes would miss, had taught you to never rely on only one sense alone. With her you had seen, experienced a lot of things with different, more attentive eyes and senses. Sitting down on one swing you closed your eyes. Your hands grabbed the wire rope and your feet dug into the wet sand beneath them. Feeling the hard, almost rough rope under your palms, the wet, cooler sand on your feet, the easy, warm breeze on your skin combined with the warm rays of a setting sun let you smile. You heard the calming noise of the ocean. Through your closed eyes you still could “see” the light. Yellow, red orange dots appeared on the inside of your eyelids.

“Are you missing the sunset or are you experiencing it even more intensely?”

That voice nearly sent your senses into overload. You flinched a bit and opened your eyes.

“I´m sorry! It was not my intention to scare you.” A soft and excusing smile lit up his face before he continued. “I was walking… over there…and…could not help myself as I saw you sitting down on that swing.” He chuckled and you started too. “I´m…Tom.” He extended his hand and watched you as if he was waiting for a reaction to his name paired with his face. And sure enough it somewhat hit you. You had seen this face before. Taking his hand you smiled “Hi Tom, I´m (Y/N)…”

Tom shook your hand and pointed to the empty swing afterwards. “May I?”

“Of course.” You said and grabbed onto the rope again. “I think I have seen you on stage in London.” Tom smiled and nodded. “Yes, that is possible. I am an actor. What have you seen me in?”

“Coriolanus…” You looked at him and saw him smile. “I was fond of that play…hard work though.”

“It was extraordinary…” Your feet pushed and you started swinging. “…but I can’t help myself to think that you are not here, at the end of the earth, seeking seclusion on a small island to talk shop with a stranger on a swing.”

Tom started to laugh and looked at you. “What am I here for then?” He asked and tilted his head a little as he too started to swing with a push from his feet. You took in a breath and pondered for a second. “I think…” You began and took him in with a glance. His slightly curly hair, his softly tanned skin. His navy-blue shorts and the open light blue shirt fanning back every time he swayed forward.

“…I think you are here to relax, to be Tom…not the actor…just you.” You looked into his incredibly blue eyes. “I think you are here to enjoy being yourself, probably reading a lot. To let your mind wander free…to not need to look over your shoulder anytime you step out into open space.” He began to smile more with every word you said. “…and I think you are here to enjoy a beautiful sunset. With a stranger. On a swing.”

He laughed a soft and deep chuckle. “I think you are quite right…except for one thing.”

You lifted an inquiring eyebrow which only made him chuckle again.

“I already have seen you thrice…and I know your name now…” he grabbed onto your rope, only millimetres away from your own hand and aligned you with his swing pattern. “…so, conclusively…” He looked into your eyes as you swayed in unison.

“You are no stranger…(Y/N).”

It was too much; you could not hold the eye contact for a second longer. A smile spread on your face when you grabbed onto his rope to even out the strain that he needed to apply to keep the both of you swinging in union. It was a comfortable silence that was kept for a good portion of time while you watched the sun slowly going down. Your feet got wet as the upcoming tide started to engulf you and Tom faster and faster.

Tom laughed and said “I have never been on a swing in the water!” It sounded amazed and joyful. You looked at him and balanced yourself to stand on the swing. “Me neither, but it feels wonderful!”

Tom stood up from his swing and gave yours a good push before he jumped onto his and worked to get it going too. The ocean now directly under your feet. You had never felt that free, that at ease before. You sensed Toms gaze and smiled at him. “This is an even better sunset than yesterday!” He said with a grin and turned to watch the sun slowly go to bed. When the last rays tinted the sky a dark orange You felt his fingers touch yours on the rope. A soft smile spread on your face as they slowly began to cover your hand with his. Both swings standing still while their occupants watched in awe what mother nature was willing to share.

The both of you stood in silence on your swings. Your hands touching, your feet feeling the ocean beneath them. A soft chuckle got your attention and you looked up to Tom. “Looks sturdy enough…” He proclaimed and grinned at you as he balanced himself onto your swing, standing across from you, face to face. Well, better said face to chest because he was a good portion taller than you.

“Work with me!” He said and started to move the swing. You laughed out loud and countered his movements when it was your turn. Soon the both of you were swinging together. Higher and Higher. Grazing the water each time when you came down again, splashing it up. Tom looked into your eyes with his own sparkling joy at you…then, he let go and fell into the water unbalancing you almost to the point that you fell too. He surfaced with a deep laugh and pushed his hair back, the water reaching almost up to his butt.

“Feeling good?” You asked with a laugh and looked down into his eyes, his shirt clung to his torso…that was a rather distracting view.

“Oh yes!” He grinned and stepped towards you, completely stilling your swing

“May I walk you back, (Y/N)?! It gets pitch black dark rather fast around here.”

His hands reached up as you laughed but nodded.

“Allow me…” He grabbed your waist. “Hold onto my shoulders…”

“Am I not allowed to jump?” You asked as your hands touched the wetness of his clinging shirt.

“Not tonight…” Tom said chuckling as he lifted you off the swing and slowly set you down into the water. The both of you started walking back to shore through the, for you, waist deep water.

“Would you tell me what you thought, or felt earlier as I so rudely interrupted you?” Tom asked while walking next to you and taking of his wet shirt. “It looked like you were taking everything around you in differently…” You smiled and nodded. “Yes, it´s a habit, I guess. I learned to not rely on one sense alone if I want to experience something on a different, more intense level.” Tom looked at you interested. “May I ask from whom? Or why? Sounds a bit like intense stage training to me. We needed to open all our senses to be able to get into the complexity of a new character. It stripped you raw in some cases.” The both of you reached the shore and started walking back on the sand.

“I did not have stage training. I learned it from my best friend. She is nearly blind since birth. To be able to understand how she sees things I had to learn to not only take everything in with my eyes.”

Seeing a seashell, you picked it up and said. “This shell for example. You _see_ it is a shell by just looking at it…you know how a shell looks. But do you know how it feels. I mean _really_ know?!” You turned to stand in front of Tom. “Open your hands and close your eyes if you dare.” Tom grinned for a second but did as you asked. He turned his hands palm up towards you and closed his eyes.

You put the shell into his left hand and guided his right hand above it. “Now tell me, Tom. What do you see, without looking?” Tom slowly explored the shell with his long fingers.

“It is rather rough on the outside. Nearly sharp edged…” He turned the shell in his hand. “…but the inside…it´s soft, so soft and smooth. I feel little holes…” You smiled and touched his hand with yours.

“From now on, you don´t only see a shell, but you will remember how it felt in your hands. And if a blind person will ever ask you to describe a seashell you will be able to give more details, make them see it through your eyes.”

Tom opened his eyes again and smiled. “Thank you.”

You smiled up to him and started walking again. Tom put the shell into the pocket of his wet shorts, not able to part with it and followed. When he was besides you again, he said. “So, if you tell your friend about tonight, about the sunset you are able to paint a picture in her head with words. Describing the smell, the feel, every little detail to make her see it with you.” To your nod he smiled. “That is really beautiful!” 

The two of you reached the field of rocks and you saw in the half dark, that the tide had engulfed the most part of it. It would be tricky to get over it now. Stepping onto one slippery stone you tried to balance yourself. “What are you doing there?!” Tom asked incredulous. “Are you _trying_ to break a leg? Do you _want_ to stay the rest of your vacation in a hammock with a leg in plaster?” He steadied you with a hand on your waist. “Would you bring me coconut cocktails?” You asked jokingly.

“I would, but that is not the point here!” He answered directly and lifted you down from the rocks.

“Follow me you adventurous daredevil of a woman! I know another path to get back!” 

Tom started walking into the palm trees and the thick flora surrounding them. 

“It´s pitch black in there!” You said gaspingly.

Tom chuckled and took your hand into his. “Rely on your other senses…and me! I´ll get you home save, darling!”


	3. Chapter 3

Tom led you along the small path through the foliage and palm trees. His hand holding on to yours with a soft yet firm grip felt good in a strange way. You only knew him for a short amount of time but talking to him, sharing a beautiful sunset on a swing and probably the mood of summer, of vacation made you not overthink his actions…or yours for that matter.

“I can´t see a thing!” you said and touched his arm with your free hand. Tom chuckled and said

“As long as I see where we need to go you will be fine. Also, I am probably blocking most of the moonlight because I am walking directly in front of you.”

You laughed a little. “Nice way to say that I am short and walking too close behind…”

Tom snorted out a laugh. “You are not short; you are the perfect size and come a little closer if you want!”

He could not see the roll of your eyes, nor the grin on your face as you actually did step closer to him. He did not need to stretch his arm backwards to hold on to you. You were pretty much plastered to his naked back. “Only a few minutes, then we are back out in the open again.” Tom reassured you and softly squeezed your hand. “Ok, just don´t let go of my hand…otherwise you might need to send out a search party come morning.”

Tom laughed a deep rumble of a laugh. “The island is not that _big._ ”

“You underestimate my ability to get lost when wandering around!”

Tom stopped short and turned after you had crashed into his back. “Getting lost and wandering around are not necessarily the same thing, but it´s nice to get to know more details about you.”

You grinned up to him. “I hardly call that a detail…why did you stop? Got lost?!” You grinned again.

Tom shook his head with a smirk and looked into your eyes, as much as it was possible in the dark.

“You, my little daredevil are not wearing any shoes.” He started. “And although I am here as myself, Tom, not the actor as you so accurately pointed out. I am still a British gentleman.” He paused.

You looked up in question. “So….you are giving me a break before we go on?!”

Tom snickered and in one smooth move turned again while grabbing you and lifting you in a piggyback style onto his back. The squeal you gave made him chuckle. “No, I am saving your feet from getting pin-cushioned by those thorns that littered the next few meters of our paths.”

“Oh!” You gasped and held on to him.

“You can thank me by bringing me a coconut cocktail tomorrow…”

The both of you laughed and Tom carried you effortlessly out of harms way and back onto a service sand-street for the golf carts. It was sparely lit but enough so that you could see where you were going.

“Thank you, Tom!” You said honestly thankful when he sat you down again.

“Anytime…” He smiled and pointed into the direction you needed to go.

“Shall we?!” He asked and held out his hand. When you looked at it, he said with a grin in his voice.

“Don´t want you to get lost while you wander…who is bringing me my coconut cocktail if I don´t get you home safe?!” 

You laughed softly and took his hand. His thumb caressed you for a second as the both of you started walking again. It was nice to feel his hand around yours. There was no need to guide you anymore but that he had reached out to hold on to you anyway told you a lot about him. Smiling to yourself you walked next to him in comfortable silence for a while. When the both of you passed the main building, you stopped short. “Excuse me for a second?!” Tom let go of your hand and nodded.

“Of course.”

“I´ll be quick!”

Probably thinking that you needed to use the ladies room Tom leaned against a palm tree and watched you jog into the bar. 3 minutes later he saw you coming back and started to wholeheartedly laugh out loud while bending backwards. “You did not!” he said and grinned as you approached him with 2 coconut cocktails in hand… Island style. Which meant in a real coconut with a straw and a whimsical cocktail umbrella in it. You handed him one with a big smile on your face.

Tom flung his wet shirt over his shoulder and took the drink out of your hand. Grinning he took a sip and hummed in pleasure. “Tasty! Thank you!”

You took a sip too and started to walk again. “Thank you for saving my feet…”

Tom laughed softly as he made 2 quick strides to walk besides you again. “No hardship at all…” He said quietly and his hand brushed along yours in a goosebumps-rising soft brush. The both of you walked close to each other. His naked arm brushing yours more often than not. When you came to the part of the beach where his cabin was located, he stopped. Thinking that meant good night you smiled at him and wanted to say something as he too started to talk.

“Tha..” “Let me..”

You both started to laugh.

“You first.” Tom said and smiled.

“Thank you for not walking past me tonight…I had fun!”

Tom tilted his head. “Me too, but…” He looked into your eyes. “…I was not going to say goodnight just yet. I haven´t made my conjecture why **_you_** are here thus far. Yours was pretty on point. Let’s see how I fare...say, by a bonfire under the stars?!” He grinned very handsomely and added. “Let me just change into dry clothes and I´ll set up a fire in the fire basket?!”

How could you say no when he looked at you like that?! Well, you couldn´t!

“Ok, I´ll change too and be back in a few…” You smiled and walked backwards towards your cabin.

Tom grinned and was already on his way into his. “Don´t get lost along the way!”

“Ha Ha!” You laughed and went to get out of your wet shorts.

After a quick fresh up and changing into new shorts and a t-shirt you stepped back onto the beach to already see a small fire in a basket glowing like a beacon in the night. Your proverbial beacon to not get lost on your way back to Tom. Seeing you approach he dropped another log into the basket and stood up straight. Wearing a light blue shirt and some dark blue shorts, all dry and covering him up made you wish for another wave to get him wet again. With a big grin he reached down and lifted 2 new coconut cocktails up for you to see. “Turns out the bar delivers if you ask nicely.”

With a laugh you covered the distance and took one cocktail out of his outstretched hand.

“Who knew!?” The glow of the fire turning everything into a soft orange light as you sat down in the sand with a little distance to it.

Tom came down besides you and got comfortable leaning back onto his elbows and stretching his legs, crossing them at the ankles. “Cheers!” he proclaimed and touched your coconut with his.

“Cheers!” You answered and took a sip, staying in your cross-legged position for now.

“Alright, I am curious.” You looked at him. “What´s your conjecture of me being here on this island!?” 

“Huhhhmmm…” Tom smiled and took another sip while thinking about his next words.

“Come on, shoot. You had a lot more time to think about it than I did.” You nudged him with your shoulder. Tom grinned and looked up to your sitting form.

“Well…for one I think you are here to escape your day to day life.” He started.

“That was not hard to guess!” You joked.

“Probably not…” he agreed chuckling. “…also, I think you are here to unwind from a stressful job, to wander but not get lost…” He winked. “…and to enjoy a beautiful part of the earth with all your senses.” Tilting his head to you he asked. “How am I doing so far?!”

“Well…” You leaned back onto your elbows too. “…Let´s say to be a good Sherlock you´d need to dig a little deeper.” Tom laughed and now nudged your shoulder with his.

“No, seriously. I really think your foremost reason to be here is to unplug. I haven´t seen you use a mobile on any occasion I was lucky enough to get a glimpse of you. If you would be here for any other reason you would probably be snapping, twittering or instagraming – or however that is called- any chance you got.” He took a sip from his drink. “POSTING…Let me just change all that into posting!”

A bubbly laugh came out of your mouth as he blurted that out.

“Ok, you are correct. That really is my main reason to be here.”

Tom grinned triumphantly but added after a second of deep, in a good way unsettling eye contact.

“There is one thing that I am not able to figure out though.”

You looked at him and your eyes asked the question what that would be without your lips needing to say it out loud.

“I can´t make sense of the reason why you are here alone.”

Setting down the cocktail you huffed a smile. Tom continued. “Well, besides hopefully the same reason of why I am here on my own too.” He sat up into a cross legged position now before he continued. “I mean, who says that singles, as I am, are not allowed to enjoy such a beautiful place like this without company.” You did not see his grin but you heard it in his voice.

“Smooth way of asking me if I am single and also telling me that you are…”

Tom laughed at your response and looked at you. “Not so smooth after all since you caught me…” His smile was disarmingly attractive. Even more so with the fire dancing and reflecting in his eyes.

A moment passed with you and him just looking at each other. Smile slowly fading into something even more intense.

“So…are you (Y/N) ?”

You looked into the fire for a second and twirled the straw of your drink between your fingertips.

Nodding without looking at Tom it did not escape him that your smile was gone for other reasons than admitting that you were indeed, single.

Tom laughed a little on the sad side and said.

“And the bravest of souls are those who choose love….over and over again.” You sat up too and looked at Tom. “Giving someone the best of you and watching them choose someone else does not hurt less when you saw it coming all along or know you are better of on your own.” Tom took a deep breath and stood up. Fabulous, now you had ruined the mood of the night entirely. But instead of bidding you good night he came back down behind you and tugged you against his warm chest. Encircling you with his long legs and engulfing you in his arms.

“Believe me, I know…but, you are one of the brave souls. I can see that in your eyes. The way you still are able to look at things with awe in your eyes. With wonder and the wish to share it with those who are less able to see it.” He said and hugged you close.

“Ok like that?” He asked softly next to your ear.

“Yes..” You said with a smile fully coming back, happy that he was able to deal with a moment of sadness and turn it into something that felt good again.

Tom nuzzled your hair for a second as silence once more fell upon you.

“You are one too, you know…” referring to the brave souls’ quote and explaining. “Your eyes too, still see wonder. The look on your face as you opened your eyes again after exploring the shell was telling.” Tom smiled an honest smile which you could feel, not see “…and you are quite good at reading me…” You added with a soft chuckle.

Tom smirked and rumbled out a laugh into your hair.

“Thank you for noticing!” He truly meant it, then added “…I held back earlier. Did not want to scare you with my magical mind reading power directly!” 

The both of you started to laugh and Tom hugged you against him once more.

“Again, you leave me curious, Tom!” Turning your head, you looked up into his eyes. “Tell me, with your mind reading power… what am I thinking JUST now…”

Tom grinned lopsided. “Oh that´s easy!”

You lifted an inquiring eyebrow. The smirk on his lips got bigger.

“You, as myself, think about how nice it is to be in each other’s company. Sharing a beautiful night under a starry sky….and how stunning it is to see that starlight reflect in your eyes.” His voice dropped a bit. “…Just two brave souls that found each other, connected somehow and hug one another close…” With his last words he hugged you a little bit tighter and smiled while his eyes drank in the wonder in yours. 


	4. Chapter 4

The thin, tangled sheets of his bed only covered him ever so slightly. Sleep was a futile effort. His mind was still recreating the last hours, the last moments where he felt you getting drowsy and almost falling asleep inside his hug. A soft smile spread on his face when he remembered your somewhat slurred words. _So warm, so cosy, so safe_ you had murmured.

Safe. You had felt safe in his embrace. Inside his hug, his arms.

And Tom…he had been able to feel again.

 _Feel_ , really _feel_ some kind of a fuzzy, warm and very pleasurable thing awakening again after what seemed like being numb for months, a functioning human being…but somewhat numb on the inside. His feelings slowly starting to get out of their drowsy state of slumber since you put that shell inside his palm. Now those feelings kept him awake. Craving more of the sensation that they created inside of him.

What a simple hug, a simple act of comfort could ignite inside a touch starved human was almost unbelievable. Like he had said out loud to you. _“…Just two brave souls that found each other, connected somehow and hug one another close…”_

And it had been just that. A hug. Granted, it had been a long one. A hug that had kept you close to his chest over a rather long period of time while you were sitting near the fire. There had not been more. No kiss, no wandering hands. Just being close to each other, inside a comfortable embrace that felt to good to give up.

Tom turned onto his back another time and closed his eyes yet again asking himself if you had been able to find sleep. 

Taking in the tangled sheets, the mess you had made out of them. No. You had not found a lot of sleep that night. The bed had been to big, to empty, to _cold_. And given the tropical summer nights _that_ last reason had been the most laughable one to not being able to sleep soundly. With a little sigh you started to flatten the sheets and fluffed up your pillow. Maybe you could just change into the hammock after a shower and a breakfast, sleep or at least rest there for the day.

A slight change of plans after breakfast made you take a dip in the ocean before you went into the shower and dressed in a top and shorts afterwards. Barefoot and yawning, again, you stepped out of your cabin and into the warm sand to head to your hammock. Only to find it already occupied by a tall, lean and shirtless Englishman swaying softly in the shadows the palm tree offered so generously.

A soft chuckle came out of his mouth. Surely because of the face you made while rubbing your eyes as if you were dreaming.

“I heard the shower and did not want to barge in on you.” He said in lieu of a greeting.

“So, you decided to wait in my hammock?” You asked with a spreading smile.

“Exactly.” Tom grinned before adding “You sing much too interesting songs while under the shower for me to walk away that easily.” Laughing out loud you started to walk towards him. He did not make a move to get out of the hammock, even when you stood right before it.

“Seemingly I don´t sing too bad to make you to run away too.”

“You are- to a certain degree- able to hold your tune…” Tom answered with a grin to your following chuckle.

“Thanks a lot.” You mocked and tilted your head.

“Any other reason why you are currently hijacking my hammock?”

Toms smile got serious for a second. “Honest answer or made up one?”

“Honest one if you´d be so kind Mr. Hiddleston.”

Tom took in a deep breath and looked into your eyes above the rim of his sunglasses.

“I was not able to sleep after we parted ways last night. My arms felt empty and they longed for you to be back inside of their embrace.”

For a second you just blinked and looked into his eyes that resembled the ocean in more than one way to you. Toms nervous chuckle got you out of your staring gaze. “You wanted the honest one…” He said delicately. “I did…” You started and smiled softly before being honest yourself. “I could not sleep very well either…”

Toms face betrayed him to quickly to play it cool. He smiled and reached out for your hand.

“Come here…” He said with a slightly raspy voice and helped you into the double hammock without toppling him out in the interim.

It took some careful shuffling but Tom managed to get you into his waiting embrace without a hitch. He pulled you sideways against his body, into his arm and laid yours down on his naked abdomen to get you as comfortable as possible. A soft sigh escaped him after the both of you had settled into this new arrangement and made him chuckle directly afterwards.

“I am not hiding my contentedness very well, am I?!” 

“You don´t have to hide it…”

Tom turned his head and looked down into your eyes with a smile. 

“Just two brave souls that found each other, connected somehow and hug one another close?!”

“Yes!” You answered with an equally soft smile. With a little grin he flipped his sunglasses down, out of his hair, onto his nose. Toms free hand entwined his fingers with yours and laid them to rest together on his chest. With a soft nuzzle of his nose against your forehead and a contend sigh he closed his eyes.

And finally found sleep…so did you.

The sun had passed the point of noon before you came awake again. Tom was still sleeping peacefully with you against his side. You took a moment to look at him. His slightly ajar sunglasses looked adorably nerdy on him that way. He was a handsome human being, that was for sure. His jawline could probably cut a diamond into any shape it dared wanted it to be. Toms lips twitched and he softly, sleepily squeezed your entwined hands before his raspy, still drowsy voice quietly rang in your ear. “Are you eyeballing me?”

You chuckled quietly but deadpanned. “I was just comparing your 3 o`clock shadow to the shadow the palm tree is casting to estimate the time of the day!”

Tom sluggishly pushed his sunglasses with your entwined hands into his hair to give you a drawn eyebrow look. “And?” He asked mockingly.

You started to laugh and answered. “I have no clue at all how late it is.”

“Well…” Tom started “…maybe you just should have looked at my watch instead.”

“Hilarious Thomas. I would have needed to turn halfway around for that…like that…because your arm was just loosely resting behind my back instead of hugging me…”

Shuffling half way out of his embrace while talking made the hammock tilt dangerously to one side.

Tom grabbed you and pulled you back into his arms again. “Alright…” He chuckled.

“…I got it. Nice way to let me know that you want me to hug you again by the way.”

“Only so that I am able to look at your watch of course.”

“Of course!” He grinned and hugged you close again.

Two minutes of comfortable silence later Tom grinned down on you.

“I am hugging you, but you haven´t looked at my watch (Y/N).”

“Oops!” You laughed but still did not attempt to get the time. 

Tom chuckled a deep rumble of a laugh that vibrated through his chest. You could feel it while laying closer to the crock of his neck again. With a soft push from his foot he got the hammock to sway a little.

“Would you tell me three things about you? Random things. Things that one would only know after knowing you for a while?” Tom asked with a soft voice.

“You mean something like quirks?”

“If you are willing…”

You had to think about it for a moment.

“Well, firstly…I love how books smell. I guess it is as close as I will ever come to be drugged. Leave me in a bookstore for a while and I will _surely_ come out with a dopey grin on my face…and a ton of new books.” Tom laughed and watched you intensely. “Secondly… I hate thunderstorms. I mean, hide under my bedsheet’s kind a hate. They really do scare me on a fundamental level.” Tom hugged you a little closer as he felt you shiver because of just thinking about it.

“And lastly…” You turned a bit reddish “…I´m a sucker for English accents. My friends mock me about it all the time.”

Tom tried to hide his laughter and looked into your eyes while he said in his heaviest possible accent.

“Well darling, isn´t this bloody brilliant. I really am very pleased with your lovely answers. I for one am going to elaborate some quirks of my own if you want me to.”

The both of you started to laugh and you hid your face against his chest for a moment.

Tom stroked your back softly. “I wasn´t set on embarrassing you. I just find it very sweet that you choose to reveal that quirk last.” He tenderly lifted your head up again with a finger under your chin. “Thank you for trusting me like that. You could have easily gone with three things I already found out about you.” His thumb caressed your cheek. “Like you touching everything you want to know on a deeper level. Or your daredevil tendencies…” He chuckled when you rolled your eyes at him.

“Your turn to fess up!” You proclaimed as the eye contact the two of you shared got more intense with every passing second. Tom snickered and took in a deep breath while he rested his head down again. His hand on your back never stopped drawing light circles onto the fabric of your top. He thought for a moment. Cute frown lines started to appear between his eyes. The long, nimble fingers of his hand slowly gathered the fabric between them and caused it to expose the small of your back. Tom cleared his throat and started to talk. “I tend to go nerdy about a book or a script when I am adapting it for the stage or the screen. Delving deep into the essence of every word and their meaning.” Smiling at him, Tom now was the one to sport a little blush while he continued. His hand had found its way under your top, caressing your skin with soft strokes.

“I am always talking with my hands…or fumbling my glasses with them if they are unoccupied.” His grin got a bit secretive. Tom whispered the last thing into your ear. “I am a sucker for romantic gestures…and to add another embarrassing one to that I can´t seem to stop myself from kissing my significant other regardless of who is watching. Makes up for awkward moments…” he chuckled and made you laugh too. For a moment the both of you fell silent and just enjoyed each other’s company. When Tom tried to look at his watch, he recognized that his hand now was completely under your top stroking your naked skin, playing with the knot of your bikini top. He stiffened for a second and stopped what he was doing, slowly pulling his hand out. You really did not seem to mind that he had crossed that border without asking, maybe you had been enjoying yourself and his company as much as he had enjoyed himself and you. Living in the moment. Taking and giving freely without any strings attached.

The look on his watch almost made him jump. “Bloody hell…it´s that late already?” Sensing that he needed to get up you untangled yourself off of him and got out of the hammock.

“Did I keep you from something important?” You asked with a little blush reddening your cheeks. Tom scrambled onto his feet and ran his hands through his hair. “No…No, (Y/N) It´s my fault. I should have checked the time earlier but I was adoring this so much…needed this so much, that I forgot…” Tom came around the hammock and took you into a sweet hug. “I need to get back to my cabin. I promised my mother to call her today and I also promised my agent to get in touch about 3 of the scripts I read while being here, taking my timeout.” Tom placed a soft kiss into your hair. “I am sorry but I really have to do this. Even if I´d rather spent more time in that hammock with you. Unbeknownst letting my hands wander to places they should not be without asking beforehand.” That made you laugh a little.

“You don´t owe me an explanation why you have to go back, Tom.” Tom looked at you and tilted his head. “But I want to explain…”

Smiling you touched his chest and added. “Thank you for that. Now go, before your mother gets angry or your agent sends a chopper to get you off this island.” Tom laughed and started to walk, only to stop and grin at you when you said. “And your hand was exactly where I liked it to be!”

“See you tomorrow?” He asked while walking backwards.

“If you´ll find me…maybe I get lost wandering around without you.”

Tom laughed his ehehehehe laugh. “I´ll find you, darling.” Then he turned around and started to run back to his cabin. You watched him disappear and went inside yours with a smile.

You spent the late afternoon inside your cabin. Prepping some food and reading a book after dinner. It had gotten cloudy and a lot windier outside. You did not mind the change of scenery and cuddled up on the sofa, losing track of time while reading and writing down some ideas for poems/texts of your own. Somewhen around eleven you decided to call it a day and got ready for bed. It did not take you very long to fall asleep to the rustling of the palm leaves before your window.

Tom had made good on his promises and called his mother first. After that his agent had occupied a lot more of his time than he had anticipated. It was well past midnight when he finally pushed the work-related things aside and rubbed his face. He really had needed the time out on this island, but he also knew that he could not seclude himself completely for weeks at a time. Even if he wanted to. Stepping outside to take a fresh breath of air he frowned as he saw rain pouring down. He had not noticed the change of weather before this instant. Getting back inside quickly before he was drenched to the bone, he went to get wet in the shower instead.

The deep, loud and for you bloodcurdling roar of a thunderstroke let you come awake in an instant. The immediate flash of lightning followed suit and lit up your room in an earie way. Your heart pounded hard inside your ribcage from the moment of coming awake because of shock. You were lightheaded because of it. Trying to gather your senses was hard work just now. You knew that it _only_ was a thunderstorm but that did not mean you where fine with it. Two deep breaths later you managed to get out of bed to close the windows before you jumped like a scared cat when the next crash of thunder hit your system. You tried your best to make good time on closing the windows one after another when another kind of rumble made you jump again. Not able to place that sound in your scared state you stood frozen in the middle of the livingroom of your little cabin when the door flung open and a very drenched Tom stood dripping wet and panting heavily in the doorway. He closed the door without looking away from you and with 3 strides he was in front of you, pulling you against his wet body.

“Tom?” You succeeded in getting out before the next crash of thunder made you shiver.

“Shhh…It´s ok, yes it’s me…” he tried to sooth you but the realisation that he had run through _that thunderstorm_ to get to you dawned on you and jolted you awake.

“Are you insane to run through that kind of weather??” you almost yelled.

Tom looked at you dumbfounded but the next thunder made you squeeze yourself closer to his wet form. “You told me you are scared of thunderstorms…” He said softly and held you close to him.

“I am! But you getting struck by lightning scares me even more now!”

“So, you don´t need me to protect you from the thunderstorm?!”

“No! Not when you endanger yourself because of it!”

“Then I can go back to my save cabin now?”

The look you threw him made him grin. “Alright, I will stay. Just because you don´t want me to get struck by lightning. Not because I am here to protect you…”

The next lightning strike came accompanied with a crash of thunder. You held tighter onto Tom.

“You are soaking wet…” You brittlely got out.

“It´s raining cats and dogs outside…” Tom said softly into your hair but untangled himself off you. You gave him just enough room to get rid of his shirt. “You are shivering like a leaf darling.” He looked at you and took your hand. “Come…” Before your bed he stopped and motioned for you to get in, getting rid of his wet trousers to stand there in his boxers only. Without wasting another second, he climbed under the sheets and tugged you into his arms.

“Just hold on to me. You are safe here…distract yourself. Don´t try to await the next…roar.” His words got accompanied with another roar of thunder.

“Oh god!” You whined not very mature. “That is not distracting enough. I know this is childish but…”

Tom stopped you with a shift of your position. He hovered above you and looked into your eyes.

“Fears can´t be rationalized easily.” His warm hand cupped your cheek and his gaze lingered in yours, starting to distract you more and more each second. 

“Just concentrate on me. Try to establish the time with the growth of my stubble.” He winked with a soft smile. It started to work. His presence was so demanding, so occupying your senses with his nearness, his touch, his masculine smell and his soft but steady voice that you got the shaking under control. Goosebumps now rising on your skin due to a different reason.

Minutes passed with him hovering above you, pinning you down with his gaze and keeping you grounded with the delicious weight of his body on yours.

“Are you still cold?” His hand traced the Goosebumps on your arm.

“No…not cold…”

“Scared?” He asked and searched your eyes.

“No…”

“Then why still the Goosebumps?” He asked whispering.

You did not answer, you just looked at him, held the intense eye contact and softly stroked down his arm like he had done with yours. Tom shivered slightly and felt Goosebumps arise on himself.

“Oh!” He gulped and zeroed in on your lips.


End file.
